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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Like the box of chocolates bought out of desperation as a last-second holiday gift, special teams can be viewed as a mixed assortment of opportunities that influence football games.

Bill Snyder began stressing the many contributions those units provide about the time he pulled his first all-nighter at Kansas State.

He brought a punter, his son Sean, who became an All-American and now coordinates the specialty units. Anytime a return man scored on a runback or enjoyed a big game, Snyder emphasized the importance of the other 10 players on the unit. At practice, he painstakingly conducted drills that touch on every aspect pertaining to kicks.

Sometimes, however, the mixed assortment yields mixed results, which K-State recognized during a 7-5 run that led to an appearance Saturday in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl against Michigan.

Take the glamour roles, for instance. The Wildcats possess two outstanding return men. Tyler Lockett handles most kickoffs, averaging 25.5 yards, though Tramaine Thompson scored a touchdown on one of his two runbacks. Thompson usually fields punts and averages 20.2 yards.

Opportunities, however, have been rare. The duo accounts for six career touchdowns off returns, which, to opponents, means their uniforms are laced with Kryptonite.

“We’re just not getting the opportunities to return the ball,” Bill Snyder said. “We’ve made our bed and have to lie in it, I guess.”

Brady Hoke can read the work of publicists just like anyone else. The Michigan coach noted Friday that K-State is 17-0 under Snyder in games in which it scored on both special teams and defense.

“Very sound, very aggressive in what they do,” Hoke said.

The attitude persists even within the K-State unit that defends PATs. Defensive tackle Travis Britz leads the country with four blocks, three on PAT attempts and another on a field goal. Weston Hiebert, who was named special teams MVP for his unsung versatility, also blocked a punt by Baylor.

“The biggest thing I can tell someone is some teams take it as a play off, but at Kansas State that’s not our mentality. You have to keep going and every play counts,” Britz said.

“The biggest thing is you have to have an attitude you’re going to block the kick. Just like every offensive or defensive scheme, you have to understand where the weakness is in the (opponent’s) offensive front and it’s something you’re going to attack.”

Lengthy bowl preps, however, give opponents additional time to identify the Wildcats’ weaknesses.

Last season in the Fiesta Bowl, Oregon began the game with a 94-yard kickoff return. A year earlier in the Cotton Bowl, Arkansas scored its first TD on a 51-yard punt return.

For the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, the Cats will be using a backup kicker, Ian Patterson, and a punter, Mark Krause, who has struggled of late. Potential trouble again exists, particularly if the Cats fail to flip the field, or the score, with a big return or block.

“The productivity has been minimal in terms of where we want to be,” acknowledged Sean Snyder. “For us, it’s been a little disappointing. We haven’t been able to accomplish the things we like to do. Hopefully some opportunities arise and we get a chance.”

Michigan may not provide many. The Wolverines are not flashy on special teams, though they did connect on all 49 PAT tries, which possibly negates Britz’s active paws. Brendan Gibbons is an accurate kicker who set a Michigan record with 16 consecutive field goals made. Dennis Norfleet is, well, a fleet kickoff returner.

More noteworthy storylines exist, of course, to the first-ever matchup between the programs.

For Michigan, the headline item is the foot injury that sidelined quarterback Devin Gardner, which led to the promotion of inexperienced freshman Shane Morris. Inside the heads of the Wolverines, you wonder about their desire to play in Tempe, in a non-traditional bowl before New Year’s, after a gutsy, yet deflating, one-point loss to Ohio State.

For Kansas State, the headline item also involves the quarterbacks. The situation seemed to play itself out when Jake Waters took the vast majority of snaps in the past two games. Yet Bill Snyder reiterated Friday that Daniel Sams will be involved in the shuffle used against Michigan. Inside the Wildcats’ heads, you wonder if a five-game bowl losing streak creates undue pressure.

Special teams could influence the outcome. They did in the Cats’ last two bowl appearances, only not in their favor.

The time, the energy and the attention placed on all the assorted specialties — along with the threats posed by Lockett and Thompson — needs to provide K-State a decisive edge in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. Special teams are that important, particularly to the Wildcats.